A fighter
by FondyCheesehead
Summary: One-shot. Z's POV after the Battle of the Lost Lake.


Well, I adopted a Rider Horse. All dialogue from pages 400-402 of _Green Rider_

A Fighter

Zachary felt like a broken man. On this day his brother had betrayed him, his vassal lord had betrayed him and even his trusted advisor had betrayed him. On this day he had nearly died and many had died for him. Even his little dogs did not survive the carnage. Information from his network of spies meant that he had suspected much of the betrayal was coming but suspicion was not the same as the reality of this day.

And yet after everything that had happened and considering everything he could be doing to reclaim his throne or doing to mourn the lost, he was instead worrying over one girl. He was taking time away from the time he should be resting for the coming insurgence to bring a blanket for her as she rested among the wounded. He could not find it within himself to feel ashamed of behavior. All of her actions for king and country proved that she was worth extra attention.

"No!" Karigan sat up and winced as the movement jarred her wounds.

"You're all right," he said to her as he sat on the ground beside her. She simply blinked at him as he pulled the wool blanket over her. "I thought you might get cold," he added self-consciously. _What is it about this girl that makes me feel like I am fourteen again?_

Karigan pushed golden brown hair out of her eyes. "Th-thanks. I had a dream…"

Zachary nodded. "You have been through a great many things today. I shouldn't be surprised if you do have dreams." He wouldn't be surprised if she would dream of this night for many nights to come, he knew that his dreams would be unsettled for quite some time.

"Where are the others?" she asked him.

"Major Spencer, Captain Mapstone, Connly, and Mirwell are preparing to enter the city."

"What?"

He ran his hand through his amber hair, noting the absence of his fillet with a wry satisfaction. With pleasure he informed Karigan of the basics of the plan that he and his military advisors had worked out. "They are taking my head and crown to my brother."

"_What?_"

Her incredulous reaction let him elaborate. "It is part of Beryl's plan to infiltrate the throne room. My brother knows little of her true affiliations…as of yet. Captain Mapstone will be cloaked as the Eletian, and Connly volunteered to take the part of the Mirwellian guard. You see, with our outnumbered forces, our only hope is to win the castle from within."

"But the lord-governor, how will he cooperate?" _Yes, she would think to ask the pertinent questions. _

"Beryl said she would see to it." Not many knew it, but Rider Spencer was ruthless. If the old man wished for any chance of mercy, he would listen to her orders.

"Is that it? I mean the whole plan?

"Oh, no," he answered happily. Exhaustion seemed to fade as he told her the rest, the part that would get his throne back, _hopefully._ "Horse Marshal Martel, a good number of his soldiers, and I will enter the Heroes Portal and infiltrate the castle that way. Alas, unlike Connly and Captain Mapstone, we have no disguise. Upon reaching the throne room, I shall reclaim the crown, and Mirwell will order his troops to regroup and return home."

"What about me?" Karigan asked.

"Hmm?" No one had thought to include Karigan into the plans.

"What part do I play?" After everything she had already done. After risking her life to get the message to him, after fighting the Eletian who lead the attack on him as he hunted, and after risking herself yet again to do reconnaissance; she still expected to fight for him, with him. _Amazing_, but he would not pull her into anymore of this fight.

"You have already done more than your share. You will rest here with the day's other wounded and the remainder of the Marshal Martel's troops." It occurred to him that a girl of Karigan's spirit would not be content to sit with the wounded when others were fighting. Thinking quickly he decided to give her one task that he knew he could trust her with, if it was possible. "Should we fail…well, I can depend on you to move these people out of harm's way."

"No," was her simple response.

"No?" Zachary asked. Few dared to deny his orders. He was the king after all.

Karigan shoved away his blanket and stood. He rose to face her. "I'm going with you. King or not, you can't stop me. My father is being held tin the throne room."

_That's right. I had forgotten about the girl's father. If she would risk so much for her sovereign, she would certainly risk everything else for family. _"You are wounded and exhausted. I don't want you to slow us down," Zachary argued.

"You have a broken arm. Who will be slowing who?" she retorted.

_Touché_, he had to admire her tenacity. In fact he found himself admiring her more than a king probably should but as she stared at him with all defiance, he was hard pressed to suppress a toothy grin. As it was he felt one corner quirk. "I see," was the only answer he could give to her challenge.

Zachary noted the approach of Horse Marshal Martel to his side. While his face maintained its impassive expression, he chided Zachary, "I told you, my lord, we should have left her while she was asleep." Of course there had been no such advice. Although there was some hope that Karigan's sleep would be long and deep so they could leave without her.

"I should have listened more closely," Zachary responded, hoping to see some of the righteous indignation light her eyes as it had in the throne room.

"I suppose she would have followed us," the marshal said. _I'm sure she would have_, the king thought as the marshal continued. "Captain Mapstone tells me the girl operates on pure spunk, and from what I've seen, I cannot argue."

_Uh oh,_ instead of fire lighting up her features, Zachary saw Karigan's gaze turn into a fierce and angry glower. "The appreciation I get for—"

Zachary was quick to cut off her angry backlash. He bent close to her and with all seriousness told her, "I am indebted to you, brave lady, more times over than I can count. I did not wish to belittle your accomplishments. If you wish to join us, I will not deny you. But also know, I could be leading you to your death." A faint chill traveled over the small hairs on the back of his neck as the image of Karigan bloodied and dead on the throne room flitted through his mind.

Karigan studied him for a moment and evenly answered, "I must go."

He knew that she must. While their acquaintance was short, he knew that it would go against who she was in her core to stay behind if she had the barest spark of strength left. And he realized, with some worry, that he needed her beside him, so she would go.


End file.
